1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a fluid storage and gas dispensing system with utility as a gas source for the manufacture of semiconductor devices and materials.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a wide variety of industrial processes and applications, there is a need for a reliable source of process fluid(s).
Such process and application areas include semiconductor manufacturing, ion implantation, manufacture of flat panel displays, medical intervention and therapy, water treatment, emergency breathing equipment, welding operations, space-based delivery of liquids and gases, etc.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,744,221 issued May 17, 1988 to Karl O. Knollmueller discloses a method of storing and subsequently delivering arsine, by contacting arsine at a temperature of from about xe2x88x9230xc2x0 C. to about +30xc2x0 C. with a zeolite of pore size in the range of from about 5 to about 15 Angstroms to adsorb arsine on the zeolite. The arsine is subsequently dispensed by heating the zeolite to an elevated temperature of up to about 175xc2x0 C. for sufficient time to release the arsine from the zeolite material. U.S. Pat. No. 5,518,528 issued May 21, 1996 in the names of Glenn M. Tom and James V. McManus, describes a gas storage and dispensing system, comprising an adsorptiondesorption apparatus, for storage and dispensing of a gas, e.g., a hydride gas, halide gas, organometallic Group V compound, etc. The gas storage and dispensing vessel of the Tom et al. patent reduces the pressure of stored sorbate gases by reversibly adsorbing them onto a carrier sorbent medium such as a zeolite or activated carbon material.
More specifically, such storage and dispensing system comprises: a storage and dispensing vessel constructed and arranged for holding a solid-phase physical sorbent medium, and for selectively flowing gas into and out of said vessel; a solid-phase physical sorbent medium disposed in said storage and dispensing vessel at an interior gas pressure; a sorbate gas physically adsorbed on the solid-phase physical sorbent medium; a dispensing assembly coupled in gas flow communication with the storage and dispensing vessel, and constructed and arranged to provide, exteriorly of the storage and dispensing vessel, a pressure below said interior pressure, to effect desorption of sorbate gas from the solid-phase physical sorbent medium, and gas flow of desorbed gas through the dispensing assembly; wherein the solid-phase physical sorbent medium is devoid of trace components such as water, reactive (non-inert) metals, and oxidic transition metal species (e.g., oxides, sulfites and/or nitrates) which would otherwise decompose the sorbate gas in the storage and dispensing vessel.
By the elimination of such trace components from the solid-phase physical sorbent medium, the decomposition of the sorbate gas after 1 year at 25xc2x0 C. and interior pressure conditions is maintained at extremely low levels, e.g., so that not more than 1-5% by weight of the sorbate gas is decomposed.
The storage and dispensing vessel of the Tom et al. patent thus embodies a substantial advance in the art, relative to the prior art use of high-pressure gas cylinders. Conventional high pressure gas cylinders are susceptible to leakage from damaged or malfunctioning regulator assemblies, as well as to rupture or other unwanted bulk release of gas from the cylinder if internal decomposition of the gas leads to rapid increasing interior gas pressure in the cylinder.
The art continues to seek improvements in systems for storage and dispensing hazardous gases, to provide high levels of safety, the ability to release the gas to the tool or system as needed, with adequate storage volumes of gases, and economic advantages in capital and operating costs.
The present invention relates to a system for storage and dispensing of a fluid, for use in applications such as the manufacture of semiconductor products.
In one aspect, the invention relates to an apparatus for storage and dispensing of a sorbate fluid, comprising:
a storage and dispensing vessel with an interior volume containing a solid-phase physical sorbent medium having the sorbate fluid sorptively associated therewith;
a dispensing assembly coupled to the vessel in flow communication with the interior volume of the vessel for selectively discharging desorbed sorbate fluid from the storage and dispensing vessel; and
an energy input unit arranged to enhance desorption of sorbate fluid from the sorbent medium, by inputting energy to the sorbent medium comprising at least one energy input modality selected from the group consisting of:
(a) thermal energy input including at least one modality selected from the group consisting of inductive heating of the sorbent medium, resistive heating of the sorbent medium, conductive heating of the sorbent medium and chemical reaction heating of the sorbent medium;
(b) photonic energy input to the sorbent medium (microwave, infrared, visible, ultraviolet, x-ray, gamma ray);
(c) particle bombardment of the sorbent medium (electron, proton, positron, neutron, alpha particle, atoms, ions or other more exotic particles or particle combinations);
(d) mechanical energy input to the sorbent medium (ultrasonic and/or acoustic); and
(e) application of a chemical potential differential to the sorbent medium to effect release of the sorbate fluid from the sorbent medium.
In another aspect, the invention relates to a method of supplying a sorbate fluid for a use requiring same, comprising:
providing the sorbate fluid in a sorptively retained state on a sorbent medium; and
desorbing sorbate fluid from the sorbent medium, comprising inputting energy to the sorbent medium including at least one energy input modality selected from the group consisting of:
(c) thermal energy input including at least one modality selected from the group consisting of inductive heating of the sorbent medium, resistive heating of the sorbent medium, conductive heating of the sorbent medium and chemical reaction heating of the sorbent medium;
(d) photonic energy input to the sorbent medium (microwave, infrared, visible, ultraviolet, x-ray, gamma ray);
(c) particle bombardment of the sorbent medium (electron, proton, positron, neutron, alpha particle, atoms, ions or other more exotic particles or particle combinations);
(d) mechanical energy input to the sorbent medium (ultrasonic and/or acoustic); and
(e) application of a chemical potential differential to the sorbent medium to effect release of the sorbate fluid from the sorbent medium.
Although the invention is described herein primarily with reference to a gas as the sorbate fluid, it will be recognized that the invention is broadly applicable to liquids, gases, vapors, and multiphase fluids, and contemplates storage and dispensing of fluid mixtures as well as single component fluids.
Other aspects, features and embodiments of the invention will be more fully apparent from the ensuing disclosure and appended claims.